BOVINE ULTRASOUND
Ultrasounding cows down to 28 days has now become an economical option for pregnancy checking. When used in conjunction with an ovsync program and good heat detection, some previously extremely difficult or unattainable goals for days open and minimal days open can be realized. These “numbers” translate into real dollars as a fresher herd milks more efficiently. Countryside Veterinary Service provides affordable and reliable ultrasounding services to our dairy clientele.
What ultrasound can do over palpation:
1. Diagnose open cows (not preg) sooner. We will shorten days open by rebreeding sooner (See Dr. Crosley for cost of days open or use the standard 3 $/day)
2. Detect twinning. Alter management of cows with twins.
 | Dry up sooner (they tend to calve 7-10 days sooner) |
| Put in steam up group sooner |
| Be present and play a more active role in parturition (increased incidence of dystocia and retained fetus) |
| Remember that 25% of ultrasounded twins will reabsorb one of the twins |
3. Fetal Sexing (between 55-65 days ideally)
| For breeding contracts |
| For culling decisions. Help determine whether a marginal cow should sell |
| Management planning |
4. Cyclic activity
| More accurate recognition of ovarian structures |
| More accurate decisions of hormone use (1. Ovsynch, 2. PFG2a, 3 CIDR) |
| Determine inactivity of ovary (hormones may fail) Ovsynch will have a lower conception rate in truly static cows |
| Recognize amount of response to tx of cystic cows |
| Ovarian structures aid in earlier detection of open cows (pregnancy) |
5. Detect early embryonic death
| Those pregnancies that “don’t feel right” we will be able to accurately determine vitality and return to breeding sooner if early embryonic death. |
6. Detect endometritis previously unpalpable.
| Clean up cow before breeding |
7. ID static cows
| Some cows have follicles too small to palpate but will still respond to ovsynch (we can see them with US) |
| Truly static cows determined only bu US follicles <5mm and no CL) will respond best to new technology ie: CIDR |
8. E.T.
| Identified recipients (heifers with CL) for E.T. increasing PG rate |
| With donor cows we can count ovarian follicles and # of CL’s at flushing |
| Determine retained pregnancies in a donor cow. |
CAUTION: Earlier diagnosis of pregnancy will give a perceived increase in earlier embryonic death.
See chart by Fricke
Da
v of Gestation
N=512 breedings; 480 calvings
Total loss (d28-d282) = 24.7%
(% loss; avg % loss/day)
Pregnancy losses from 28 days post AI to calving in lactating dairy cows. Pregnancy status was diagnosed using ultrasound at 28, 42, 56, 70, and 98 days post AI, and calving data were recorded at parturition. The conception rate at 28 days was 32%. Data adapted from Vasconcelos et al., 1997